HAL shore excursion reviews?

[clr0806]

Is it that most people are using indepedent excursions that my ports have virtually no reviews on the HAL excursions? With the costs as high as they are it would be nice to see what others thought. I just don' t understand the lack of reviews when we are so passionate about our cruises. If you did not post a review please advise your reasoning. If there are issues with process maybe corrections can be made to the process?

[kazu]

There is not a thing wrong with the process. I have posted several reviews for the benefit of fellow cruisers.;) The review process is relatively new so perhaps a lot of people haven't noticed it yet:confused:

 

or, if they were happy, maybe they didn't feel the need to post:confused:

[gregdude]

Are you referring to HAL web site excursion reviews or Cruise Critic port excursion reviews? Here at CC there are extensive excursion reviews as there are on "Trip Advisor". Just Google an excursion and you will usually get a lot of reviews. If you are referring to the HAL web site excursion reviews, this is a fairly recent option and not easy to find. Even most Alaska excursions lack HAL reviews.

[IRL_Joanie]

Is it that most people are using indepedent excursions that my ports have virtually no reviews on the HAL excursions? With the costs as high as they are it would be nice to see what others thought. I just don' t understand the lack of reviews when we are so passionate about our cruises. If you did not post a review please advise your reasoning. If there are issues with process maybe corrections can be made to the process?

 

I post in my reviews about my excursions. So far I've been able to say that every single excursion, all through HAL, sans 1, have been absolutely FANTASTIC.

 

I've taken but 1 excursion independantly and will never do that again. I did the Swim with the Dolphins at the Dolphin Academy in Curacao, which was AWESOME, but the worry of getting there from the ship and back on my own was pure unadulterated fear.... Fear that I would be late to the ship, fear that I, a lone American tourist would be molested or worse in a taxi... Many other worries.... Never again Independent, t'will always be HAL excursions and worry free.

 

Like I said, I post my reviews of excursions with my overall review, which I think is how others do it also

 

Joanie

[clr0806]

Are you referring to HAL web site excursion reviews or Cruise Critic port excursion reviews? Here at CC there are extensive excursion reviews as there are on "Trip Advisor". Just Google an excursion and you will usually get a lot of reviews. If you are referring to the HAL web site excursion reviews, this is a fairly recent option and not easy to find. Even most Alaska excursions lack HAL reviews.

 

Glad to hear this is a new feature. Hopefully people will use it. This is our first HAL cruise.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I no longer post a review here on CC -- but sometimes will make comments about a tour we took -- in other sections of this site.

[Mary Ellen]

We've posted reviews (good and bad) about some of our shore ex on the HAL site. I think it was good of them to add this feature to their site.

 

I did notice that the shore ex we panned isn't offered anymore.

[airlink diva]

Hi Clr806!

I normally post my shore excursions on my overall review or the port of call board here on CC. I noticed last year that HAL now offers you the chance to review any excursions that you book with them.

I booked two with HAL last year (the historical walk on HMC and the day sail to Bequia in St Vincent). I posted a review of both tours on the HAL site also.

This is something very new and give it time. I think once more people know about it, they will post on it.

HAL is posting both the good and the bad reviews about their excursions. I've noticed some have some less than great reviews. I see this also as another way for HAL to know if a tour is one that really appeals to it's cruisers.

Joanie I can understand your concerns about using local guides, but the ones that I've used are very aware of the ship time and boards like this. They will tell you that having someone miss the ship or a bad tour will get alot of bad press they don't want. I will say that 95% of my tours are with local guides. Mainly because they offer a lower price, fewer people and better insight to the port. I do look at the ship tours and if something is what I want to do, I will book a ship one from time to time.

[cruiseapril]

We've had good responses about HAL excursions on this forum.

[Big Dawg CC]

After my cruise in December, I received a generic follow up e-mail from HAL asking me to review the HAL excursions that we purchased. They had not done that before and I suspect that will encourage more people about the need to review these excrusions.

[IRL_Joanie]

Hi Clr806!

I normally post my shore excursions on my overall review or the port of call board here on CC. I noticed last year that HAL now offers you the chance to review any excursions that you book with them.

I booked two with HAL last year (the historical walk on HMC and the day sail to Bequia in St Vincent). I posted a review of both tours on the HAL site also.

This is something very new and give it time. I think once more people know about it, they will post on it.

HAL is posting both the good and the bad reviews about their excursions. I've noticed some have some less than great reviews. I see this also as another way for HAL to know if a tour is one that really appeals to it's cruisers.

Joanie I can understand your concerns about using local guides, but the ones that I've used are very aware of the ship time and boards like this. They will tell you that having someone miss the ship or a bad tour will get alot of bad press they don't want. I will say that 95% of my tours are with local guides. Mainly because they offer a lower price, fewer people and better insight to the port. I do look at the ship tours and if something is what I want to do, I will book a ship one from time to time.

Believe me, I know that 99.99% of the independent tours. My problem was I was alone in Curacao and I was scared both going and coming. Do not like being that scared.

 

Joanie